Combination carrying case, table, and canopy



May 10, 1960 a 47; Faas.

INVENTOR.

GREGORY GEORGE SOFI MMQ ATTOR N EY May 10, 1960 G. G. soFl 2,936,204

COMBINATION CARRYING CASE, TABLE AND cANoPy Filed Nov. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 64\ 7"""7Dr65 f50 te??? INVENTOR.

GREGORY GEORGE SOFI..

@K7/MMC ATTOR N EY United States Patent() 2,936,204 COMBINATION CARRYING cAsE, TABLE, AND cANoPY Gregory George Sofi, New York, N.Y. Application November 14, 1958, Serial No. 774,055

44 Claims. (Cl. 311-2) l This invention relates to a combination carrying case, table and canopy adapted particularly, although not exclusively, for breach and picnic use.

It is an object of my invention to provide a readily fabricated yet structurally strong device capable of serving the functions of a table, a support for an overhead canopy, and a valise that can be used to receive the other components of the device or, if desired, can be used independently. And in this aspect of my invention 4it is an important `object to provide certain novel components that serve the multiple purpose of reinforcing Athe corners of the device when used as a carrying case, of supporting the legs and simultaneously supporting the canopy-post components of my invention.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure in which, aside from the handle, there are no protruding portions on the device when used as a carrying case.

Another object of my invention is the provision of knock-down parts that can readily be assembled and disassembled, and be conveniently accommodated and supported within the device when in its carrying case form. And it is a further object of this invention to provide a-canopy of extended proportions, and a support therefor, whereby portions of the canopy will extend beyond the ends of the table, thereby to permit it to provide cover for chairs placed therebeneath adjacent the table.

4Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device of my invention shown in its fully open and operable position.

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 2 taken along Vline 33.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner portion of one of the casing members of the carrying case.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 4 taken along line `5---5, showing portions of a leg and a canopy post ,in place.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 4 taken along line 7 7, but with the closure member shown in its `portions being shown in section.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top View of one of `the tie bars, employed in my invention. Fig. l0 is a side view of Fig. 9.

Fig. l'l is a fragmentary elevational view` of the upper portion of the post of Fig. 8, shown .operatively ,assembled with tie bar `and canopy.

IceN

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 11 along line 12-12.

Fig. 13 is a side view of the carrying case of my invention shown in closed condition, a fragment being removed for clarity.

In the form of my invention illustrated, the carrying case, generally designated 15, comprises two casing members "16 and 17 hinged at 18 and having a conventional handle 19 on one of said members. When said carrying case is in its closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 13, it functions as a conventional valise, the proportions of the casing members, however, being such that it can accommodate at least the other components of this invention to be hereinafter described. When said carrying case is in its operatively open position, as illustrated in Figs. l to 3, the main walls or panelsI 20 and 21 of the `respective casing members 16 and 17 are substantially in a horizontal plane, so as to form a table surface generally designated 22. It will be observed that the said casing members contain the respective peripheral frames 23 and 24 extending down from the panels 20 and 21, respectively. Specifically, peripheral frame 23 comprises the lateral walls 25, 26, 27 and 28; and the peripheral frame 24 comprises the lateral walls 29, 30, 31 and 32. The said casingmembers are held against relative displacement, when the device :is in its open position, by the fastener 33 the shank of which extends through holes 34 and 35 of the adjacent walls 28 and 32', the nut 36 being in threaded engagement with the terminal portion of said fastener.

An important aspect of this invention resides in the novel unitary leg and canopy post supports at four inner corner portions of the casing members, the said supports within casing member 16 being identified by the reference numerals 37 and 38, and the corresponding supports within casing member 17 being identified by the reference numerals 39 and 40. In the preferred form of my invention illustrated, the said leg and canopy post supports are disposed in the two outer corners of said respective `casing members, for reasons which will more clearly hereinafter appear. Each of said supports is adapted to perform several functions, to wit, to brace the said outer corner portions of the casing members, and simultaneously to support a canopy post and a leg. Support 37 is operatively connected to leg 41 and post 42; support 38 is operatively connected to leg 43 and post 44; support 39 is operatively connected to leg 45 and post 46; and support 40 is operatively connected to leg 47 and post 48. The tops of said posts 44 and 48 are operatively connected by the tie bar 49, and the tops of posts 42 and 46 are operatively connected by the tie bar 50, said tie bars to be more fully described hereinbelow. The canopy 51 is operatively supported by the said posts 42, 44, 46 and 4S and the said tie bars 49 and 50.

The construction of the said leg and canopy post supports clearly appears from Figs. 4 to 7. Though these gures refer to support 39, they represent the construction of the other three corresponding supports, since all are identical, in this preferred form of my invention. Each of said supports comprises a body portion 52 having two threaded apertured portions therein, to wit, the upper inclined apertured portion `53 and the lower substantially vertical apertured portion 54. Said apertured portion 53 is inclined upwardly and laterally, it being in the form of a longitudinally extending passageway extending from the upper surface 55 of body portion 52 to the inner wall 56 thereof. In the preferred construction, only the upper portion 57 of said passageway is threaded, the lower portion 58 having a smooth annular wall. The bottom apertured portion 54 extends upwardly from the bottom surface 59 of said body portion 2. Each of said supports contains two angular disposed anged bases 60` and 61 which are in engagement with and secured to corner portions of the frame Walls ofl the corresponding casing member. For example, as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, flanged base 60 is in engagement with the inner surface 62 of wall 29, and flanged base 61 is in engagement with the inner surface 63 of wall 30, said Walls 29 and 30 meeting at the corner juncture 64. In the form illustrated, the body portion 52 has outer surfaces 65 and 66 at right angles to each other and continuous with the corresponding outer surfaces of said respective anged bases 60 and 61, said surfaces 65 and 66 being proportioned and positioned for engagement with corner portions of the respective frame surfaces 62 and 63. Each anged base 60` is secured to the adjacent wall, such as wall 29, by fasteners 67; and each flanged base 61 is secured to the adjacent wall, such as wall Sil, by the fasteners 68. It will be observed that the upper portion 69 of the body portion 52 is of wider proportions than the lower portion thereof, so as to provide a relatively heavy wall adjacent the hole 58.

As aforesaid, each leg and canopy support, like the support 39 illustrated, serves as a reinforcing bracket at the casing member corner at which the support is located. Since these corner portions of the casing members are subject to greater strains than any of the other portions of the casing members, the construction is such as to give strength where strength is needed most. Aside from serving as a reinforcing bracket, each of the said supports is adapted, as is apparent from the foregoing description, to receive therein one of said canopy posts and one of the legs of the table, the form of my invention illustrated showing terminal portions of both the legs and posts in threaded engagement with the corresponding threaded apertures of the support, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5. It will further be observed that the upper panel of the .casing member, such as panel 21 illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, contains an -apertured portion 70` proportioned to vreceive therein the upper portion 71 of the support 39. The arrangement is such that the upper apertured portion 53 of the support is exposed, whereby a post can readily be operatively inserted therein.

In operatively setting up the canopy, the legs are first threaded into place, as shown in Fig. 5. Each of the legs, in `the form illustrated, is tubular, having a base plug 72 therein and having an outer threaded portion 73 at the top. It is thus a simple matter to attach a leg, such as leg 45, to the corresponding support 39. Each of the posts has a lower portion 74, this being threaded at the bottom 75 `so that it may be operatively inserted into the apertured portion 53 of support 39. Since the upper panel 21 has an aperture 70 therein, the post extends upwardly therethrough in a laterally inclined direction. When the four legs 41, 43, 45 and 47, and the four posts 42, 44, y46 and 43 are operatively inserted in the respective four supports 37, 38, 39 and 40, in the manner above described, a rm assembly is effected, as illustrated in Figs. l to 3. The said legs are secured to the reinforcing members comprising the said supports, and thus firmly `support the table without causing any undue stress upon the side Walls or panels of the casing members. Similarly, the posts are rmly mountedupon said supports, without causing any undue strain upon said side walls or panels of the casing members. Because of the inclination of said canopy posts, they provide ample space therebelow for chairs adjacent the sides of the table, whereby the canopy 51 provides an extended shade area for the Voccupants of said chairs.

The particular form of canopy posts illustrated in the drawings each consists of a plurality of separable commember 7.6 secured .by pin 77 ,to `the upper part of tube 74, an intermediate tubular member '78 externally 4 threaded at the top and bottom portions 79 and 80 respectively, and an upper tubular portion 81 also supporting at the bottom thereof an internally threaded coupling 82 held in place by the pin 83, similar to pin 77. Inserted into the open top portion of tubular member 81 is the stud member 84 comprising an upper threaded shank 85 and an internal head 86 aiiixed in place by pin 87 substantially like pin 77. A cap 88 contains an internally threaded aperture 89 proportioned for threaded engagement with said shank 85, the canopy 51 containing a hollow eyelet or grommet 90 at each corner thereof proportioned to fit over the shank 85 of said stud 84.

In the embodiment illustrated, the aforesaid tie bars 49 and 50 are employed, Figs. 8 to l2 showing the construction of one of such bars. Each bar consists of two sections 91 and 92 connected by hinge 93, whereby each of said tie bars may be ifolded -for placement within the carrying case when the latter is in its closed position. The opposite ends of each tie bar have secured thereto -the `connectors 94 the terminal portion ofy each of which contains an aperture 95. When each of said tie bars Vis in its operative unfolded position, it is propontioned to span the distance between opposite posts, tie Vhar 49 connecting posts 44 and 48, and .tie bar 50 connecting posts 42 and 46, as aforesaid. In the operative positions of said tie bars, each stud shank 85 extends through aperture 95 of the corresponding connector 94; and mounted thereover is the corresponding grommet 9,0 of 4the canopy, the said caps 88v being in threaded engagement with respective Shanks 85 to securely hold the respective grommets 90 and connectors 94 against the respective flanges 96 of said stud members 84, as illustrated in lFigs. `11 and 12. It is thus evident that this arrangement enables the above-described components to be readily set up and disassembled, by the simple manipulation of interthreaded portions. The tie bars 49 and 50 serve to give stability to the canopy posts when they are in their operative extended canopy-supporting positions. V

When the Idevice is in its disassembled condition and the carrying case 15 is in its closed position illustrated in Fig. 13, there are no protruding parts, so that the carrying case can be conveniently used for housing the components of this invention; and if desired it can also be employed for other conventional uses. The substanitially smooth exterior, except for the conventional handle, is made possible because of Ithe fact that -the novel leg and canopy post supports are completely disposed within the casing members'.

My invention is funther provided with means to close the respective upper apertured portions 53 of each of .the leg and canopy post supports. This is elected by means of a closure disc 97 pivotally mounted at 98 adjacent each of the apertured portions 70 at the outer corners of the two casing members. When .the device is in its disassembled position and the casing members closed, each closure disc 97 is swung about its pivot v9,8 until it enters the said apertured portion 70, each closure member 97 being of somewhat resilient material and being in frictional engagement with t-he panel upon which it is mounted. Fig. 4 shows said closure member 97 in its open position, this being the dot-dash position shown in lFig. 7 the latter lfigure illustrating, in full lines, the closure member in its closed position. It is preferred that the said top surface 55 of each support be disposed below the outer surface of the corresponding casing panel, so that a recess is formed to partially accommodate therein said closure member 97 when in its operatively closed position. It is into this recess that the closure member fits, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

It is -thus apparent that I have'provided a novel device which has great utility, particularly for beach and picnic use. All the leg and canopy components can be conveniently `carried within the carrying case 15. By a. few simple operations the device can readily be setup to serve as a table; and by a few additional operations a canopy can be erected giving a considerable amount of shade for persons seated at -the table. The device is aesthetically attractive, and is structurally strong for its intended purpose. Moreover, since the novel leg and canopy pos-t supports are, in the preferred form of my invention, of identical construction, the entire device can be fabricated at a relatively low cost, particularly since these supports can be cast out of suitable structurally strong material.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely -by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modications may be made therein. It is Ito be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specied in the appended claims.

I claim:

1.'In a table construction for operative connection to a plurality of legs and a plurality of canopy posts, the combination of a panel and a peripheral frame eX- tending downwardly from said panel, said `frame comprising four walls joined at `corner portions, and a plurality of bracket supports for supporting said legs and posts, said supports each comprising a body portion having an upper apertured portion proportioned to receive a terminal of one of said canopy posts, a lower apertured portion proportioned to receive therein a terminal of one of said legs, and two angularly disposed ilanged bases in engagement with and secured to one of said corner portions, to brace the walls thereof against relative movement, said panels being apertured in the regions of said respective supports, said supports extending upwardly into the respective apentured portions of said panels.

2. In a table construction, the combination according to claim 1, said upper apertured portion of each of said supports being inclined upwardly and laterally, said lower apertured portion thereof being normal to said panel.

3. In a Itable construction, the combination according to claim 1, said upper apertured portion of each of said supports comprising a pasageway inclined with respect to said panel and extending from the top of said body portion to an inner lateral portion thereof.

4. In a table construction, the combination according to claim l, said upper apertured portion of each of said supports comprising a passageway inclined with respect to said panel and extending yfrom the top of said body portion to an inner lateral portion thereof, the upper portion of said passageway being threaded, the portion therebelow having a smooth annular wall.

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